Methods of manufacturing microfabricated substrates

• US 20020144774A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Ohara
• Original Assignee: Caliper Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: McReynolds, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US10/159,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20020144774A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/285
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/10 using hot gases (e.g. combustion gases) or flames coming in contact with at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4845 Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4895 Solvent bonding, i.e. the surfaces of the parts to be joined being treated with solvents, swelling or softening agents, without adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7847 using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/82661 by means of vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2081/06 PSU, i.e. polysulfones; PES, i.e. polyethersulfones or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/756 Microarticles, nanoarticles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/1891 Using a robot for handling the layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/1018 : using only vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/1841 : during laying up
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 : Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 1/00119 : Arrangement of basic structures like cavities or channels, e.g. suitable for microfluidic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2201/019 : Bonding or gluing multiple substrate layers
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 2203/036 : Fusion bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 3/001 : Bonding of two components

Abstract

The present invention is directed to improved methods and apparatuses for manufacturing microfabricated devices, and particularly, microfluidic devices. In general the methods and apparatuses of the invention provide improved methods of bonding substrates together by applying a vacuum to the space between the substrates during the bonding process.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating microfluidic devices comprising:

providing a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein the second substrate has a plurality of apertures;

applying a vacuum to the apertures to hold the first substrate in contact with the second substrate; and

bonding the first substrate to the second substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding step comprises heating the first and second substrates to bond a first surface of the first substrate to a first surface of the second substrate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of heating the substrates comprises heating the first and second substrates to a temperature between about 80°

C. and 200°

C.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second substrates comprise polymeric substrates.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second substrates comprise silica-based substrates, and wherein the bonding step comprises heating the first and second substrates to between about 90 and 200°

C., followed by the step of heating the first and second substrates to a temperature between about 500°

C. and 1400°

C.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bonding step comprises applying an adhesive to at least one of a first surface of the first substrate or a first surface of the second substrate prior to applying a vacuum to the apertures of the second substrate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates comprise glass.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second substrates are comprised of polymeric materials.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first substrate includes a plurality of discrete microscale channel networks disposed on a first surface of the first substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first substrate includes at least four discrete microscale channel networks disposed on the first surface of the first substrate.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the first substrate includes at least ten discrete microscale channel networks disposed on the first surface of the first substrate.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first and second bonded substrates form a unitary bonded substrate, the method further comprising separating a first portion of the bonded substrate containing at least a first discrete channel network from a second portion of the bonded substrate containing at least a second discrete channel network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the bonded substrate comprises a thinned region between at least the first and second discrete channel networks, and the separating step comprises breaking the first discrete channel network from at least the second discrete channel network along the thinned region.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the bonded substrate comprises a perforated region between at least the first and second discrete channel networks, and the separating step comprises breaking the first discrete channel network from at least the second discrete channel network along the perforated region.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of apertures are positioned in fluidic communication with the plurality of discrete microscale channel networks prior to said bonding step.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising aligning the first substrate with the second substrate prior to said applying vacuum.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said applying vacuum is performed by placing the second substrate upon a platform surface which includes a plurality of grooves fabricated therein which extend laterally from one or more vacuum ports in the platform surface, and applying a vacuum to the one or more vacuum ports.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said applying vacuum is performed by placing the second substrate upon a platform surface which includes a plurality of vacuum ports fabricated therein, and applying a vacuum to the plurality of vacuum ports.